Harry George Armstrong (February 17, 1899[1] – February 5, 1983) was a major general in the United States Air Force, a physician, and an airman. He is widely recognized as a pioneer in the field of aviation medicine. The "Armstrong limit", the altitude above which water boils at the temperature of the human body, is named after him.
Harry George Armstrong
Major General Harry George Armstrong
Born
February 17, 1899 (1899-02-17) De Smet, South Dakota
Armstrong served in the Marines during World War I and the army and air force from 1930 to 1957. As director of the United States Aeromedical Research Laboratory, he applied his medical and aviation knowledge to the improvement of aircrew protection from temperature extremes and the lack of oxygen at high altitude.
In 1931, he was attached to the Air Corps and assigned as assistant surgeon. He was promoted to captain in 1932, to major in 1938, lieutenant colonel (temporary) in February 1942, and to colonel (temporary) in August 1942. Serving alternately in England and the United States, in 1945 he became surgeon for the Air Division in the office of Military Government for Germany (U.S.), with headquarters in Berlin. In 1946, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel (permanent), returned to the School of Aviation Medicine at Randolph Field upon appointment as assistant commandant, and that July was named commandant. In 1948, he was promoted brigadier general (temporary), then to major general (temporary).
Surgeon General of the Air Forceedit
In June 1949, he was assigned to air force headquarters at Washington, D.C., as Deputy Surgeon General of the U.S. Air Force, promoted to colonel (permanent) in October, and the following December was designated surgeon general. Armstrong was promoted to brigadier general (permanent) October 9, 1951. In 1954, General Armstrong went to Wiesbaden, Germany, as Surgeon of the United States Air Forces in Europe.
Later lifeedit
Armstrong retired from the air force in 1957. He died in 1983 from heart disease.
In 1977, the Air Force Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory created the Harry G. Armstrong Award for Scientific Excellence.
^Fogerty, Robert (1953). "Biographical Data on Air Force General Officers, 1917-1952" (PDF). Air Force Historical Research Agency. pp. 72–74. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
^"Enshrinee Harry George Armstrong". National Aviation Hall of Fame. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
Referencesedit
Air Force official biography
on the South Dakota World War II Memorial website
on the National Aviation Hall of Fame website
Principles and Practice of Aviation Medicine on PubMed
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This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations January 2023 Learn how and when to remove this message Harry George Armstrong February 17 1899 1 February 5 1983 was a major general in the United States Air Force a physician and an airman He is widely recognized as a pioneer in the field of aviation medicine The Armstrong limit the altitude above which water boils at the temperature of the human body is named after him Harry George ArmstrongMajor General Harry George ArmstrongBornFebruary 17 1899 1899 02 17 De Smet South DakotaDiedFebruary 5 1983 1983 02 06 aged 83 Allegiance United States of AmericaService wbr branchUnited States Air ForceYears of service1918 1919 Marine Corps 1925 1957 Army Air Force RankMajor generalCommands heldSurgeon General of the Air ForceAwardsDistinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit 2 Order of the British Empire Croix de Guerre Collier Award Armstrong served in the Marines during World War I and the army and air force from 1930 to 1957 As director of the United States Aeromedical Research Laboratory he applied his medical and aviation knowledge to the improvement of aircrew protection from temperature extremes and the lack of oxygen at high altitude Contents 1 Early life education and military career 2 Military career 3 Surgeon General of the Air Force 4 Later life 5 Awards and decorations 5 1 Ribbon bar 5 2 Other awards 6 Published works 7 Notes 8 ReferencesEarly life education and military career editArmstrong was born in De Smet South Dakota in 1899 He attended the University of Minnesota but left after one year to enlist in the US Marine Corps serving with them as a private from October 1918 to March 1919 He then entered the University of South Dakota graduating in 1921 In 1925 he received his Doctor of Medicine Degree from the University of Louisville He entered the Medical Corps Reserve in April 1925 Armstrong entered the School of Aviation Medicine at Brooks Field Texas that September Upon graduation in 1930 he was commissioned a first lieutenant in the Regular Army Medical Corps Military career editIn 1931 he was attached to the Air Corps and assigned as assistant surgeon He was promoted to captain in 1932 to major in 1938 lieutenant colonel temporary in February 1942 and to colonel temporary in August 1942 Serving alternately in England and the United States in 1945 he became surgeon for the Air Division in the office of Military Government for Germany U S with headquarters in Berlin In 1946 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel permanent returned to the School of Aviation Medicine at Randolph Field upon appointment as assistant commandant and that July was named commandant In 1948 he was promoted brigadier general temporary then to major general temporary Surgeon General of the Air Force editIn June 1949 he was assigned to air force headquarters at Washington D C as Deputy Surgeon General of the U S Air Force promoted to colonel permanent in October and the following December was designated surgeon general Armstrong was promoted to brigadier general permanent October 9 1951 In 1954 General Armstrong went to Wiesbaden Germany as Surgeon of the United States Air Forces in Europe Later life editArmstrong retired from the air force in 1957 He died in 1983 from heart disease In 1977 the Air Force Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory created the Harry G Armstrong Award for Scientific Excellence Awards and decorations editRibbon bar edit nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp USAAF Flight Surgeon wings 1st row Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster World War I Victory Medal American Defense Service Medal with Foreign Service Clasp 2nd row American Campaign Medal European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation Medal 3rd row National Defense Service Medal French Croix de Guerre 1939 1945 with Palm Order of the British Empire Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940 1945 with Palm Other awards edit Wellcome Award 1937 Collier Award 1939 John Jeffries Award 1941 Honorary Fellow of American College of Healthcare Executives HFACHE 1953 Edward Warner Award 1981 National Aviation Hall of Fame 1998 2 Published works editArmstrong published 105 scientific papers in the field of aviation medicine and aerospace medicine Principles and Practice of Aviation Medicine Williams amp Wilkins 1939 Aerospace medicine Williams amp Wilkins Co 1961 ISBN 0 683 07109 2Notes edit Fogerty Robert 1953 Biographical Data on Air Force General Officers 1917 1952 PDF Air Force Historical Research Agency pp 72 74 Retrieved November 9 2021 Enshrinee Harry George Armstrong National Aviation Hall of Fame Retrieved January 20 2023 References editAir Force official biography Harry George Armstrong on the South Dakota World War II Memorial website Armstrong Harry Scientist on the National Aviation Hall of Fame website Principles and Practice of Aviation Medicine on PubMed Preceded byMalcolm C Grow Surgeon General of the United States Air Force1949 1954 Succeeded byDan C Ogle Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Harry George Armstrong amp oldid 1205793919, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
